1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a technique for a system and an apparatus to display a state of and a function possessed by an electronic device, such as a printer, communicably connected thereto through a communication network.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, a management system for managing output devices, such as printers, connected to a network (e.g., a LAN (Local Area Network)) has been known to the public.
For example, Japanese Patent Applications Laid-Open (KOKAI) NO 2004-110370 and 2000-315182 disclose techniques for monitoring a state and function of a device connected to a network and for easily recognizing the entire configuration of a network system.
Such a management system displays a list of printers connected to the network and an icon representing the operation state of each of the printers which state is received from the corresponding printer on a monitor included in a management server, so that it is possible to remotely manage states of a number of printers connected to a network and determine environmental settings of the printers. For improvement in user interfaces, a management system may display information concerning a detailed configuration such as whether or not a printer has an optional function.
Accompanying drawing FIG. 8 schematically shows a conventional management system 100 including a PC (Personal Computer) 101, a printer 102 (printer 1), a printer 103 (printer 2) and a network 104. Management software installed in the PC 101 manages states of the printers 101 and 102 and determines environmental settings of the printers 102 and 103.
Accompanying tables FIGS. 9 and 10 are examples of definition information (information definition files) used in the management system 100. The definition information shown in FIG. 9 correlates various states of the printer 102 with icons, and more specifically correlates states of the printer 102, icons indicating the states, and file names of the icons with one another. The example of FIG. 9 shows five icons, each indicating one of the states of “online”, “printing”, “cover open”, “paper jam” and “no paper”.
For convenience of explanation, icons indicating various states of the printer 102 take the form of a double circle, a black circle and other patterns in the example of FIG. 9. On an actual display, the icons take the form of graphics by which the system manager, that is the user, can visually recognize each state of the printer 102.
The definition information shown in FIG. 10 correlates configurations of the printer 102 with aspect illustrations of the printer, and more particularly, correlates configurations of the printer 102, data of images schematically illustrating the configurations, and file names of the image data with one another. The example shown in FIG. 10 includes data (cassette1.bmp) of an image illustrating the printer 102 with a single sheet-feeding cassette and that (cassette2.bmp) with double cassettes.
The management system 100 previously prepares definition information, exemplified by FIGS. 9 and 10, concerning the printers 102 and 103 and stores the information in the PC 101. In the PC 101, the management software displays such definition information in the form of various screens on a non-illustrated monitor.
Accompanying tables FIGS. 11 and 12 are examples of screens displayed in the conventional management system 100; FIG. 11 is an example of a printer list display screen and FIG. 12 is an example of a printer configuration information screen concerning the printer 102.
The printer list display screen 110 shown in FIG. 11 correlates an icon, a printer name and a state of the same printer with one another. The system manager can confirm the states (e.g., during online connection) of the printers 102 and 103 connected to the network 104 with a glance at the printer list display screen 110.
Further, the printer configuration information screen 111 includes image data of a perspective view schematically illustrating an aspect of the printer 102 and text data indicating a state and functions of the printer 102. The example shown in FIG. 12 indicates that the printer 102 includes a single sheet-feeder cassette for A4 size paper and displays a state in which a facedown tray is correctly functioning besides a perspective view having a single sheet-feeding cassette.
The system manager or the like refers to the printer configuration information screen 111 and confirms functions (e.g., an available sheet size) possessed by the printer 102 connected to the management system 100 through the network 104 and a more detailed state (e.g., a state of the facedown tray) of the printer 102.
In the conventional management system 100 described above, data of images and icons indicating states of the printers 102 and 103 are previously stored as an information definition file in the PC 101. The PC 101 obtains state data indicating states of the printers 102 and 103 on the network 104 from the printers through a protocol such as SNMP (Simple Network Management Protocol).
However, the conventional management system 100 selects image data and icons that are to be displayed on the monitor and that correspond to the state data obtained from the printers 102 and 103 among data of various images and icons which data is previously stored in the PC 101 so that the icons and the like reflect the states of the printers 102 and 103. For this purpose, the management system 100 has to correlate possible states and functions of each printer with definition information (i.e., image data, icons and the like) in advance. Concerning configuration and functions, such as mounting an option, of each printer, the management system 100 has to prepare definition information corresponding to the configuration and functions in the management system 100 beforehand.
Accompanying drawing FIGS. 13 and 14 illustrate examples of screens to be displayed when a new printer (a printer 3) with a novel function is connected to the network 104 in the conventional management system 100; more specifically, FIG. 13 shows an example of a printer list display screen and FIG. 14 illustrates an incorrect printer configuration information screen concerning the printer 3.
The management software cannot display an icon and a perspective view of the printer 3 because definition information for the printer 3 is not stored in the PC 101, on a printer list display screen 110 and the printer configuration information screen 111 as shown in FIGS. 13 and 14, and the icon and the perspective view are substituted for an incorrect information such as an icon “?” (FIG. 13) indicating that a corresponding icon is not registered or an image of a different printer (FIG. 14).
The system manager installs definition information concerning the new printer 3 into the PC 101 or updates (versions up) the management software supposable the printer 3, so that the management software displays the correct state and functions of the printer 3.
Accompanying drawing FIGS. 15 and 16 are examples of definition information of the printer 3. The definition information of FIG. 15 correlates states of the printer 3 and icons, and that of FIG. 16 correlates the configuration of the printer 3 with an illustration of the printer. Accompanying drawing FIG. 17 is an example of a correct printer configuration information screen concerning the printer 3.
The printer 3 possesses a function for sending and notifying a state of tray full, which function is not possessed by the printers 102 and 103. As shown in FIG. 15, the definition information retains an icon and a file name indicating the tray-full state in association with the tray-full state, so that a correct icon concerning the printer 3 is displayed in the printer list display screen 110 exemplified by FIG. 13.
The printer 3 is capable of mounting an optional stacker tray, which the printers 102 and 103 do not include, thereon. As shown in FIG. 16, the definition information for the printer 3 retains data of the perspective diagram schematically illustrating an aspect of the stacker tray and the file name of the data in correlation with the function of the stacker tray and thereby the printer configuration information screen 111 displays a correct aspect of the printer 3 on which the stacker tray is mounted as shown in FIG. 17.
Namely, in the conventional management system, establishment of connection of a printer with a novel function forces the system manager to perform a complicated task of updating (version up) the management software installed in the PC 101 or of capturing an information definition file (function data) concerning the new printer in order to support the new printer.
The above-described management software is generally installed in a server or a terminal unit operated by the system manager. The system manager or an equivalent is reluctant to update (install) the management software in the server or the terminal because a restart of the OS (Operating System) resulting from the updating may affect the system in operation.